Human Services

Support Services Grants

Statewide Outcome(s):

Support Services Grants supports the following statewide outcome(s).

Strong and stable families and communities.

Minnesotans have the education and skills needed to achieve their goals.

Context:

Half the parents who apply for the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) were employed in the quarter they turned to assistance. Common causes for the recent job losses are layoff, reduced hours, illness, birth of a baby to a parent with no leave time, need to care for an ill or disabled child or spouse, or transportation and child care costs that wages do not cover.

Support Services Grants provide funding for job counselors to help parents participate in work activities, including searching for jobs and addressing barriers to employment. Without these funds, families would not receive supports in moving to work and help in meeting emergency needs. Support Services Grants include funding for an array of employment services including job search, job placement, training, education, and other supports such as emergency needs for low-income families with children. These grants fund a portion of county administration of the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and Diversionary Work Program (DWP). Also included are funds for employment supports for adults who receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. (For more information on the SNAP Employment and Training Program, http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/id_002556)

Support Services grants are allocated to counties and tribes to provide these services and are funded with a combination of state and federal funds, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). In 2011, on average more than 35,000 people were enrolled in employment services each month.

Strategies:

Support Services Grants covers costs of services to create pathways to employment by addressing barriers, helping stabilize families and adults, and by building skills that ensure participants are prepared to find and retain employment. Services are delivered by Workforce Centers, counties, tribes, and community agencies. Service providers evaluate the needs of each participant and develop an individualized employment plan that builds on strengths and addresses areas of need. Services include:

·         Help to stabilize housing and to access child care, medical benefits, chemical and mental health services;

·         Basic education, English proficiency training, skill building and education programs to prepare participants for the labor market;

·         Job search assistance and job placement services to help participants locate employment that matches skills and abilities; and

·         Innovative programs to address special populations or needs such as a single point of contact for teen parents that includes public health home visits, subsidized work experiences, integrated services for families with serious disabilities, and support for the FastTRAC program, which links education and credentials to high demand careers.

Results:

Success for families and adults receiving assistance depends on the services delivered by counties, community agencies and tribes and on referrals and connections to the social service and health care system. Helping parents become employed is directly related to the health of the economy. During the recession more focus has been placed on training to develop the skills that will be needed during the continuing recovery.

Success in MFIP is measured in several ways. Two key measures are:

·         The Self-Support Index, which is a Minnesota outcome measure that reflects the number of families who leave assistance or who are working at least 30 hours per week.

·         The federal measure for MFIP, which is the Work Participation Rate (WPR). The WPR is a process measure that reflects the number of hours parents are participating in a small number of work activities.

Performance Measures Notes:

1.     MFIP Self-Support Index, 2010 (Previous), 2011 (Current).

2.     TANF Work Participation Rate 2009 (Previous), 2010 (Current).